NECA Predator: SDCC Exclusive Albino Predator Review

There are things you have to think about when you toy blog. I’m in a rush tonight. I’ve got a special project at work that is soaking up all my free time, so you need something quick! Transformers are out there. Those take forever! Nite-Owl? Fire? I’m still not really in the mood for a DC toy review. A G.I. Joe? How many supporting cast members would I have to haul out? I was striking and then something caught my eye across the room. It was perfect! NECA’s Albino Predator.

I’ve been really late getting into NECA’s Predator line. I have an aversion to v-crotches, so I didn’t pay much head to the earlier releases and then wasn’t paying attention when the articulation was drastically upgraded. I don’t need every figure – I bought a City & Jungle Hunter to cover my bases, but one that stood out to me was Big Red. I’ve never actually seen one in person, so I’m still without. (I just need to wallet up and snag one online).

I bring up Big Red because he debuted in the 2003 “fan film” Dead End. It was kind of a big deal. For one, we have to call it a “fan film” on a technicality. It was well-done, particularly the costume design. Big Red only appears for a brief glimpse, but he’s damn toyetic, something NECA would approve a decade later. The Albino Predator also hails from Dead End (along with the Wasp Predator who will be available in an upcoming assortment). Now, I may not have picked up Big Red in a timely manner, but I didn’t want to let the Albino Predator, an SDCC exclusive, slip through my hands.

And, yeah, if you read the blog regularly, you know I’m a sucker for a strange, fun deco. And I’ll tell ya, creamsicle really does it for me! So I snagged the Albino Predator when he was available online at NECA’s store shortly after comic-con.

The Albino Predator is pretty much a straight-up repaint of the Jungle Hunter (as was Big Red), but unlike the others he doesn’t sport any add-on material to differentiate his costume. I was disappointed by that at first, but truthfully he doesn’t really need it. Looking at the Jungle Hunter & Albino next to each other, they don’t really even give off a repaint vibe. The high level of detail on the original sculpt and the deco changes are distracting… or clever enough that they feel like separate figures.

Of course part of that may be because I don’t have an unmasked Jungle Hunter. In fact, Albino is my first unmasked Predator from NECA. I’ve tended to stick with those because, well the unmasked toy is one, uh… well, an ugly y’know. But for Albino, this is absolutely the way to do him. The unique details on his face simply demand to be shown and the figure looks better for going unmasked (even though that’s not how he appeared in his brief scene).

Even though it’s not my fave, the open jaw does look really sharp. Unfortunately, it does have a slight gap between it and the upper portion of the face. I’m not sure if I want to try and go in there and remove/replace it, but it does bother me a bit, so I may. On the flipside, my favorite part of the head is the white dreads. I don’t know why, but they amuse me so. And they’ll definitely keep the Albino Pred notable on the shelf after the shock of his bring orange has long since wore off (or blended in with some crazy Kenner color schemes). Continue to Page 2…

12 comments to NECA Predator: SDCC Exclusive Albino Predator Review

He does have one bit of new tooling, which is minor, but it’s there. The armor on his right shoulder is unique to him. So, that’s something, and his deco, like you mention is completely his own. I love him, he pops even next to Big Red.

I hate to admit it, but I was like you, I wanted the two main Predators… and now I have the entire lost tribe, Big Red, the Albino, two semi-cloaked from Predators… I’m down for the Kenners, Wasp and the Borg/Lost… and I have 3 Dutch figures and the infrared on preorder… I only wanted *A* Dutch originally…

I agree with wanting more torso articulation for these guys. They’re outstanding anyway, but I’d like even better Preds that weren’t so upright and ready for pelvic thrusts. But you aren’t kidding, they actually can GET DOWN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTHqlWfgKxg

When you mentioned the various lines you guys review/collect, I was wondering, do you plan on adding Marvel Select to that list? You guys have a stellar selection to keep busy with already, but MS is putting out awesome work these days. The recent movie Wolverine and classic Venom come to mind.

Thanks for the link, Jim. Man, that thirty grand was well spent! It’s like the Batman versus Fox Monsters comic series come to life. Quality stuff! The late Andrew Koenig (Walter’s son/Voice of Ambush on the 90’s G.I. Joe DIC cartoon) would have made a great Creeper on film as well.

Noisy, those pics and captions were a riot. I usually judge repaints by the way they make my stomach growl. If successful, chances are they will look cool on my shelf. Albino here not only invokes Edy’s, but suddenly gives me a hankering for crab. Red Lobster, here I come! The red Alien brings to mind the taste of licorice, and the Sandtroopers look like they ran into a sandstorm composed of Cheetos powder. The GITD Robocop is waxy enough for anyone who chewed crayons as a kid.

As for Disguised Dutch… he might as well be the aftermath of all these foodstuffs if taken in together.

Is there any way of purchasing this now outside of crazy eBay prices? :/

A friend of mine went to SDCC. Gave gim a list of stuff to look for, including this. He came back with the stupid Man of Steel Superman vs Zod box set from Mattel. And that wasn’t even on my list. >_< At least he paid for it and I made fun of him when Mattel then sold it for $25 accidentally on their website. 😛